As a general rule....do ya put a hook keeper on 2pc. surf rods ?

I put hook keeper on all rods that I build.

I agree, at the very least it's not gonna hurt anything, even if you never use it. And they only cost around a dollar.

My experience with most every hook keeper I've tried except the REC is that their corrosion resistance is very poor. For just a little more you can assure that it will never corrode. In fresh or salt. You can also use their single foot fly guides for a keeper.

Michael Danek Wrote:
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> My experience with most every hook keeper I've
> tried except the REC is that their corrosion
> resistance is very poor. For just a little more
> you can assure that it will never corrode. In
> fresh or salt. You can also use their single foot
> fly guides for a keeper.

X2. I have even bought Titanium wire to make my own but once you shape it you have to harden it by heating and quench cooling to get an acceptable hardness. Way easier to use the REC ones. Ti alloy

I always have put hook keepers on my builds. When I started using rod socks a couple years ago I began to experience problems with the hook getting tangled in the rod sock mesh. I began using the frame from the first guide as my hook keeper. It tends to keep the hook aligned and positioned next to the rod rather than protruding from the side like with a hook keeper. I still get a tangle from time to time but nearly as often. And since the rod sock covers the entire lure it also keeps "lure pirates" at the dock from seeing what I'm throwing during bass tourneys! :) One thing, if I'm throwing something with treble hooks then I just use the bar on the baitcaster.

Thanks,
Chad Huderle

Huderle Custom Rods
Prior Lake, MN

I don't add a keeper on my personal rods I just add the Fuji hook keeper after the fact.

I don't add a keeper on my personal rods I just add the Fuji hook keeper after the fact.

After having rods that don't have hook keepers, and rods that do .... I would never build a rod without one.

on some of my spinning rods with hook keeper in front of the fore grip
my line catches once in a while during retrieves especially when working light plastics with snappy retrieves that introduce slack into the line
any recommendations on hook keeper type and location?
no split grip so I can't move it below the reel

Bert,

Is your hook keeper on the bottom side of the rod, or did you put it out to one side?

Also, how far from the reel seat is your first guide, and what size is it?

Take care,

Chris

For spinning rods, I always put them about 1-2 inches in front of the fore grip and angled down and to the side. i.e. I place the guide at about the 140 degree point or the 230 degree point on the rod.

I always ask the client if the fish with the right hand or the left hand.

The idea is that a fisherman will use his non favored hand to grab the lure or hook when ending his use of the rod. So, if the fisherman is a right handed person, he / she is typically holding the rod in the right hand. So, the lure or hook is grabbed in the left hand. For the right handed fisherman, I will put the hook keeper on the left side of the rod at the 230 degree point.

But, if the person is left handed, he/she will typically be holding the rod in the left hand, and will therefore grab the hook or lure in the right hand. Thus, I will put the hook keeper on the 140 degree point on the rod blank.

I do this, whether the rod is a casting rod or a spinning rod. In both cases, with the hook keeper in that position, I find that the line almost never catches on the hook keeper. But if it does catch, as soon as the line is a bit loose, the line loop will fall off of the hook keeper if it happened to be caught.

Good luck

Chris
1st guide is about 21" from reel lip
guide is a KL-H 25
and hook keeper is 90 degrees off to one side about 4.5" from reel spool lip

Bert,

If you move it to the down side of the rod (and a little left if you like), and as close to the reel as you can, you will eliminate the line slapping onto it.

The other option is to do some creative bending. Better to move it.

Let me know how it works out,

Chris



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2017 09:26AM by Chris Herrera.

Chris - thank you
I will try that location and let you know how it works out once the weather warms up and the fish arrive